A Voracious Appetite Can Indicate That A Cat Was Taken Away From

Its Mother Too Young

July 17, 1988|By Ann Huntington, D.V.M., Tribune Media Services.

Q-I bought my cat at a pet shop about 5 years ago. The shop owner said the cat was 7 weeks old, although I thought he was younger because of his size. He has been extremely healthy except that he has an obsession with eating. He wolfs down his food in seconds, then cries for more.

I have had to lock various kitchen cupboards because he opens them, tears open the bags and knocks down jars. He cries for food when I eat and never gives up.

My cat is truly fit-neither over- nor under-weight (14 pounds). I feed him the same amount of canned food every day and he has had the same diet for 5 years. Yet he never seems to eat enough to satisfy himself.

Should I take a stool sample to the vet? Or is my cat the victim of some kitten trauma, the runt of the litter who had to battle for his food? No amount of discipline seems to work. Short of paying money for a cat therapist, what do you suggest?

A-Your cat seems to have some deep-seated emotional problems. As you suspected, he probably was younger than the pet shop owner claimed when you bought him and that he was separated from his mother and litter mates too early-possibly around 5 weeks. The clues are his voracious eating and snatching of treats and his demand for affection and constant attention. The good news is that this behavior can be toned down with patience on your part. First, have your cat thoroughly examined by your veterinarian. This should include a stool examination for parasitic eggs and a laboratory exam for glandular or metabolic functions to make certain there is no hormonal or other disorder.

It`s possible that what you`re feeding your cat doesn`t contain sufficient calories, although his weight is higher than average and may be somewhat excessive. To make sure he is getting the proper caloric intake and nutrition, feed him a scientifically formulated diet such as Science Diet Feline Maintenance or a Prescription Diet, either of which can be obtained from a veterinarian.

Aside from diet, you might ask your veterinarian to recommend a behavior modification specialist who might make some suggestions.

Q-My 2 year-old spayed Borzoi is healthy, gets plenty of exercise and carries the correct weight. While many of my friends add lots of supplements to their dogs` diets, I`m concerned about adding too much (protein, minerals, etc.).

My dog has a hard time keeping weight on. She gets two meals a day: AM Eukanuba (2 cups) to nibble on as needed. In the evening she gets a hot meal of 3 cups Eukanuba Kibble, two scoops Edge supplement, 1/2 cup raw hamburger and 1 teaspoon corn oil. Twice a week or so I skip the hamburger and give her 1/2 cup of cottage cheese or table scraps.

The Eukanuba is 30 percent protein. Is this too high, and could my dog develop kidney problems in the future? The corn oil seems to help keep weight on, but I`ve heard that repeated use can slow intestinal absorption. Are the Edge supplement, plus raw meat, just extra, useless stuff? I don`t want to overdo it and cause her problems!

A-You`re certainly right in worrying that you may be feeding your dog too much protein and minerals. For example, too much protein not only is wasted because the body does not store it, but it can have a serious harmful effect by hastening the aging process of the kidneys.

As for the effects of too many minerals in a dog`s diet, excess phosphorous, for example, can contribute to bone disorders, kidney problems and dental disease. Too much sodium contributes to increased blood pressure and, as if that weren`t enough, can bring about congestive heart failure in an older dog.

Now for some positive proposals:

Don`t overfeed your dog, even though you`re tempted to do so because she`s not a hearty eater. The diet she`s getting is too high in protein. Instead, feed her a diet lower in protein that also supplies the extra energy for correct weight maintenance.

The easy and, I think, the best solution is to feed your dog Science Diet Performance, available at many veterinary hospitals and pet shops. -

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Dr. Huntington welcomes questions from readers. Although she cannot reply to them individually, she will answer those of general interest in this column. Write to Dr. Huntington, c/o The Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60611. If your pet`s problem is urgent or an emergency, consult your vet.